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Warriors' Gary Payton II, Andre Iguodala, Otto Porter Jr. Available for Finals Game 1

Erin Walsh

The Golden State Warriors will have their entire lineup available for Game 1 of the NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics on Thursday.

Gary Payton II, Otto Porter Jr. and Andre Iguodala will be on the bench for Game 1, head coach Steve Kerr told reporters. While Kerr wouldn't commit to them in the rotation, he said "all three can contribute," which is a good sign for the Dubs.

"All three guys felt good this morning," Kerr said. "It's great to have all three guys back. I think all three can contribute, for sure."

Payton, Porter and Iguodala were initially listed as questionable for Thursday's game.

Payton has been out since breaking his elbow after a Dillon Brooks flagrant-2 foul in Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals against the Memphis Grizzlies. He had been solid for Golden State up until that point, averaging 6.1 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.3 assists through seven postseason games.

Porter, meanwhile, missed the last two-and-a-half games of the Western Conference Finals against the Dallas Mavericks with left foot soreness. He has also been good for the Dubs this postseason, averaging 5.5 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 13 games.

Iguodala has been sidelined the entire playoffs with both leg and neck injuries. The 38-year-old has been plagued by injuries this season, appearing in just 31 games, but has been a solid contributor when healthy, averaging 4.0 points, 3.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game.

While the returns of Payton, Porter and Iguodala will certainly help the Warriors in their quest for another title, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green will continue to be relied upon to do a lot of the heavy lifting.

That said, Jordan Poole and Andrew Wiggins have made a big impact for the Dubs this postseason and will be equally as important to the team's success in the Finals. Taking down the Celtics, who have been the best defensive team in the NBA this year, will be no easy task.

   

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